Australian news, and some related international items

Australia in the firing line as climate change hits the planet

It is sad to see that Australia, the country that could be the leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency, is instead the laggard. Among the wealthy nations that could take action, Australia’s governments, with the exception of the Gillard govt (2010-2013), have refused to act. .

While it might be a reality that coal mines are being started up in other parts of the planet, and that if Australia shut down its coal mines, the global impact might not be huge, there would still be quite an impact.

Meanwhile, a rich country like Australia looks very bad, internationally, as our government lies about our greenhouse emissions, and continues to promote coal, while trying to suppress renewables. As to energy efficiency – nobody seems to be mentioning that – yet it can be an enormous component of climate change action. Australia hypocritically does little to help Pacific neighbours, threatened by sea level rise.

Australia is an international climate change disgrace.

And, even sadder – Australia is the most vulnerable of developed countries, to the ravages of global warming. When those global warming chickens come home to roost, will other countries feel like helping us?

Australia’s traumas could set off even this summer – with bushfires. And still our leaders do not care about global warming, do not care about joining in international action against it.